Here’s a sneak peak at how a vintage card makes
it’s way into Marsha and Joe’s story and
onto their tree inChristmas on Bellevue Lane:

“I want our babies back. I want your parents back. You three gave me the only real family I’ve ever known. Being a part of something like that finally, experiencing it for myself, how could I ask you to give up your chance, our chance, to have as big a family as we can make?”

“But . . .” I could hear it in his voice. There was a “but.” I let him ease me around the mess I’d made, until I was back in his arms. “What are you saying?”

He kissed me, and I couldn’t keep myself from kissing him back. For a few seconds. Maybe a minute. Okay, two or three minutes. Because Joe’s a good kisser, mind you. Not because I’d forgiven him yet.

“But,” I said when I came up for air, “how are we going to have a family if—”

He placed a finger over my lips. “How do you think?”

From the back pocket of his jeans, he pulled out a small white envelope and handed it to me.

“What’s this?” I stared at the word he’d written on the front, and my life opened back up.

Our life and everything we were meant to be together felt possible again.
My knees turned to jelly. I leaned into Joe’s hug as I read and reread the single word my dear, sweet husband had written.

MOM

“This is your Valentine’s present,” he said. “Open it.”

And that’s when I saw my cardinals for the first time. There were so many beautiful birds on the card, a whole family of them. They were all so happy. And he wanted them all to be mine.

Ours.

“I’m sorry it’s not bigger.” His bottomless heart was in his eyes. “I wanted a really big one. I looked all over the Hallmark. This was the only Valentine they had with birds on it that seemed right for us.”

“It’s lovely.” I held it to my chest. I still didn’t understand. “But if we can’t have babies, then how—”

“We’ll have all the babies you want.”

Joe brushed his thumb over my lips, my cheek, my eyebrow.

“Or toddlers,” he amended, “like I was when I went into foster care Or elementary-aged children or even teenagers in high school. Whoever needs us, for as long as they need us. We’ll be their second chance at a family, and they’ll be ours.”

“Fostering?”

The way Joe had grown up.

Except this time it would be Joe and me caring for young people who had nowhere else to go. And we’d make sure every single child we brought into our home knew they were loved and accepted and wanted, the way my parents had welcomed Joe into theirs.

“I don’t know why I didn’t think of it sooner.” His smile was hopeful and happy. He was looking forward again to whatever happened next, instead of fearing it.

“We’ll take care of kids like you.” I felt our new dream blooming to life.

“We’ll give them a place to belong and grow, and to learn whatever they need to. They’ll know they’ll always be welcome, even when they age out of the system or go back to their families eventually or are placed in other homes after us. No matter how old they grow, our kids will always be ours. Once a Dixon, always a Dixon. That’s the only rule I’ll insist on. We’ll decide all the rest together. We’ll wing it as we go.”

We hadn’t talked much about his experience with family services. But I knew enough to want to go back and fix all the hurt he’d somehow found the strength to endure.

“We’ll make sure they thrive.” I placed my hand over my husband’s heart, making it a solemn vow…

With holiday carols, glittering ornaments and lots of cheer, Marsha and Joe Dixon welcome their new granddaughter to one of their favorite traditions. Marsha’s excited to share memories of her and Joe’s heartwarming love story, to help Camille feel even more a part of the sprawling foster family her grandparents have nurtured for decades.

But Joe’s struggle to recover from his recent heart attack and bypass surgery threatens their fun, and more than just Christmas in July is at stake. If he doesn’t regain his strength and ability to provide financially and emotionally for his family, the Dixon group home might have to close. With loved ones rallying around and their treasured holiday tradition working its magic, Marsha’s convinced she can talk Joe into embracing the physical therapy he needs.